Studio8 - Uniting the Arts

I played music with Zeke Durrell for many years. He played percussion on many of my recordings. He was taken by cancer a week ago. Today there was a memorial service for him in Dallas. Several hundred people attended. The man was loved.

It was my privilege and honor to read this eulogy for Zeke Durrell as introduction to his memorial gathering at The Pearl.
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We Will Miss Him, Yes

I came here today for my friend Zeke.
We will miss him, Yes,
Like a body without a heart, we will miss him, Yes.

You may observe that in any group of friends or associates, a family, a church a community a club, a school, a bowling league or a cult or a band, those who participate will develop special connection and affection and affinity for one another. It's called Society. It's part of what makes us human. Another thing that makes us human is remembering our dead. Today we remember Zeke.

We will miss him, Yes.

I look around and see Zeke's friends. They are not your typical group of associates. What brings us together is MUSIC. There is something so special and so intimate about music and music is the reason most of us knew Zeke.

We will miss him, Yes.

The bond that forms between people who play music together is almost mystical. It's closer than matrimony. It's closer than the bonds of combat. It's closer than the bond of religion. It's the magical spiritual bond that comes from chanting in unison, from fixing our minds and souls on a single thing---the song, the Word. Music is a chant, a spell, a prayer, a mantra.

We will miss him, Yes.

Like nothing else, music reminds us that we are connected and that we depend on each other. When we play music with other people, we lose ourselves to the exquisite moment of sound and rhythm and prayer and become tangibly part of something larger. Some call it the soul.

Zeke knew this. He knew that playing music with someone is like reaching into their soul. This is hard to communicate to a layman, but most of you here know that it is true. And Zeke, because of his chosen instrument, was the heart, the beat, the pulse, the most intimate part of the soul.

We came here to honor Zeke, to remember him--together, IN CONCERT. Let us all remember him with our music.

We will miss him, Yes. We will miss him.

So very touching. Zeke was a very special friend and musician to you and many others. Sincere sympathies, Clay. I'm so glad you wrote this and were honored with reading it at his memorial service.

The Joy Urchins made beautiful music together. It's a wonderful thing that you all had the time together with Zeke before he died.

I've had many hours of pleasure and joy listening to The Joy Urchins. I didn't know him but in a way, I did.

And so, I'll miss him, too.

group chant for a treasured drummer
did the folks join in with your refrain, clay?
.......We will miss him, Yes

well written
well read
well deserved
well done, LR...

Doreen, thanks for your sympathy. I guess Zeke is the only Urchin that you didn't meet. Saw many old friends at the memorial and met some new ones. I guess that's the consolation prize for dying young, you have a lively funeral.

Judih, Yes, they joined in on the Yes

Thanks cec, you would have loved what his son said about him. It was what every father wants to hear from his son.

Lightning Rod wrote:The bond that forms between people who play music together is almost mystical. It's closer than matrimony. It's closer than the bonds of combat. It's closer than the bond of religion. It's the magical spiritual bond that comes from chanting in unison, from fixing our minds and souls on a single thing---the song, the Word. Music is a chant, a spell, a prayer, a mantra.

love this. great tribute, clay.

Condolences upon the death of your good friend, Zeke.
I know how it is. I recently lost a friend who was a fellow musician and poet...May the huge gates of heaven open for Zeke!